I honestly had no idea what I would write about this week. Nothing seemed to jump out at me and nothing out of the ordinary happened, no holidays or special occasions. So I had to do some thinking. What is that's been interesting me? What am I drawn to when I sketch?

The answer didn't jump out at me either. It was slow in coming. Maybe that speaks to the subject matter, too. For some time now I've found myself looking at trees. The snow covered birds nests, lodged securely in bare branches. Bright red berries still clinging to the branches and providing rare winter color. The complex patterns of the branches. Texture of bark. Stark landscapes.

Now I'm eager to get out and find some of my favorite tress, visit them before they even start thinking about leaves. Yes, I have favorite trees! There is a large white tree with maple shaped leaves bigger than my hand. Is it a sycamore? It grows down near one of our small lakes. I discovered it when I worked in the neighborhood and would go exploring in the woods on my lunch hour.

Not far from this tree is another one I always stop and visit. It's tucked in close to the shore in ground that always seems at least a little damp and is sometimes downright muddy. I'm always overwhelmed by its size. It's a huge multi-trunked tree that's full of crevices and secret places. Unlike the white tree, whose branches reach outward, this one soars up to the sky.

It's hard to believe I've never tried to draw or paint these guys. I think that experiencing them, being there in the moment to appreciate them has been enough, but maybe it's time to see if I can capture any of their spirit on paper.

While I don't have many images of these treasured trees, I do have some photos and drawings of others that I've seen along the way.

It's time too, to take a short drive north and look for the bald eagles. Maybe that is the real value of this blog, in making me think. Think about what I value around me and how my surroundings affect me. I have to pause at least once each week. It isn't always easy, but so far it's always been good.

The new year is off to a good start. I was able to find the time I'd hoped for painting this month. It meant ignoring the piles of dishes in the sink and stacks of laundry and all the other chores calling me, and dedicate myself to some painting.

For a long time I've been thinking about water. I love it. I've taken many photos and back in the summer of 2012 I even tried painting it (Water...an update). I wasn't very happy with my results then and maybe that's why it's taken me so long to try again. This time, I enjoy the flow of the shapes and stuck to my vibrant colors. I also let myself play more and I'm happier with the results.

These styles are a little different for me. But it's been fun to explore and let go of the idea that they have to be "good" when I'm done.

These are all painted from memory and small sketches instead of reference photos. Other than the abstract water painting, I've been drawing inspiration from what I see around me.

The idea for the snow storm painting came about when I was sitting in the lunch room at work watching the wind whipping snow in every direction. I was just able to pick out the shapes of trees. As I watched, I kept wondering how I would capture that image in paint. How can I make someone feel snow and the wind? And use a colors that are almost monochromatic? I'm not sure that the wind comes through here, but the colors work for me.

"Lake Monona at Night" may be the first time I've actually painted buildings. On the evening commute, I was struck by the layers of dark on dark. Black sky, dark blocks of buildings, dark trees, and the deep darkness of the lake. All blending together, yet each one distinct. And balancing all the darkness is the string of headlights and the pure white glow of the capital dome. It was a scene I looked forward to each night.

Here are a few more sketches that might turn into paintings one day. A winter sunrise over Lake Monona and the shapes of buildings at the corner of State and Main. What a great suggestion my sister gave me to start sketching out painting ideas. It's led me to try some new things.

I've recently discovered the work of Z.Z. Wei. I love drama he gets from a simple color scheme and bold, exaggerated shadows, complex shapes made by branches against simple backdrops. I also enjoy the quiet subject matter. These paintings bring me real joy and excitement. They inspire me to draw and paint.

I'm also drawn by the size of the paintings. I like things on a large scale. My own work has grown to 40"x40".

Is there a better image to end on than, the artist scrutinizing his work?

I'm not sure why but this week I've gone back to basics. Maybe I've been too distracted with other things and needed to get some focus. For whatever reason, I've spent my time with simple sketches and have gone back to practicing drawing hands

So here we are, the end of 2014 and looking at the beginning of a brand new year. Time to take a look back and see where I've been and think about where I might go in 2015. This year has seen me get a permanent job, show my art work all over town and all the way up the Mississippi in Pepin. I had a wonderful garden and tried to preserve the flavors in all kinds of ways - herb vinegars, liqueurs, nasturtium capers, pestos, parsley oil, and many dried herbs. Cooking for me is just one more creative outlet.

Back to the art. There were a number of themes that seemed to emerge in my drawing throughout 2014. Here are some of the couples drawings that I did.

Nature is always something that interests me, as well. Especially the twisting shapes of tree branches and flower petals.

Another place I would return to was drawing hands. I love the crazy forms hands can take. I think the practice is starting to pay off.

When I feel blank and uninspired I turn to the everyday things that are around me.

And people. How can people not fascinate?

Finally, paintings. Paintings suffered in 2014. I like what I did manage to produce. I'd like to find more time in 2015 to explore painting more.

Looking ahead, I don't know where next new year will find me. I'll continue to draw, plan to find more time to paint, and to explore the places around me. I'm longing to travel, but with a limited budget it'll need to be weekend road trips. So much to come. I'm excited to see how 2015 unfolds.